Electrically-wound timepiece



Nov. 29, 12? 3 659 6 u. L. SUNBLAD ELECTRIGALLY WOUND TIMEPIECE FiledMarch 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Shaw l W 2,

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NQW 11 v ELECTRICALLY WOUND TImElIECE Filed March 25, 1%25 2 sheem filem2 ill) CHABLEE i751. "W121 L115, OF NEW I115.

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ELEOTEIGALLY-iHUU-ND Application filedl'tiarch 25, 19%. Serial No.'ll'KJ-Zifi.

of an electricallypiece constructed in accordance in electrically-'wonndtimepieces, and while adapted for various purposes, this device is.particularlydesigned for small, watchlilre timenioreinent commonly usedon antomobiles.

4L1'lfl0llf1 the objects of thisHinvent-ion are to provide winding-meansfor timepieces which will be periodically actuated to re wind the springof the time-piece, rewinding being controlled by the :tensionalcondition of the spring, so that accurate-and reliable rewinding isobtained without interference with the normal running of the timepiece;to 1 ride a compact, closed mechanism which may be readily attached toand ldetachedirom the time-piece casing; to provide an improved motortransmission and driving inecha m; to. so compact and arrange thewinding mechanism that: it can be enclosed in a case within theperipheral limitsot the movement-easing; anduto generally provide newand improved mechanism -for the accomplishment. of the above objects,and the invention consists in the construe tion as hereinafter describedand particularly recited in the claims.

in carrying out my invention, I employ a motor consisting of the usualarmature l0 and field-coils ll. v'l1is armature has a 1101'." low shaft12 mounted inbushings. l3 and Li respectively mounted in plates Liand-16 which are spaced apart by a ring-like fieldmagnet 12". These areenclosed in a shell lilsecnred to the i or of a time-.n1ovement- (It 19of any preferred construction ere (rcpt that oil the spi-iiWillllilgizlliflfil', which includes a comparu ely large windinggear-wheel 20. Meshing with this gearwheel 20 is small pinion 21 fixedto the end of aspindle 22 which extends through the center of the hollowshaft oi the armatore, and its rear end is threaded. .i he rear end oithe hollow shaft is also extei ially .tlniesded. Screwed ontothe end ofthe hollow shaft of the armature .is a segiinental plate 525. Pivoted tothe forward face of thisplate is .azpivotal switch-arm oer 11g on itsinner race a contactsbrush ElQlSL'QLQCl, when the arm is turned,totcontact ,h a ring 28 mountedon the bushing i l butinsulated-wthcrefroin andvconnected by a Wire 29 with'ithe field-coils11. Theplezte :is also .provided onxits'rear face with" a pin 30 whichprojects through a slot l termed in a disk 32' fired to LtllG rear endof the spindle Fixed at one end to the rear face of the disk,-diametrically cpposite the slot 31, is a spring 33, the other end or"which projects into thepath of the pin .Fizred to the iorward face ofthe d is detent 341- having an angular end 35 to engage with a notch 36in: the on the pletezii. On the hollow shaft of the armature is a bowedspring-washerw 'l' be: ;,,againstthe segmental ,plateto inscie goodelectrical connection between it and the shaft of the armature. .011 thearmature-shaft is a ratchet-wheel 38 engaged by pawl 39,. so thatwhileree to turn in one direction, the shaft will be held againstkmoie tentthe oppositedirection, vth preventing unwinding. ,As described, oneterminal of the field-coils is connected by the .wireil?) with theinsulated ring 28, while the other terminal of the field-coils,isconneoted by a wire 4:0 with a plate 41 mounted on an insulatingblock 4-2 attached to the rear plate 16. Also attached to this block 42is a contac-tfinger connected to the other plate ll by a t ll, thatlinger engaging witha binding-post lo mounted in the! rear ol the shell18 and insulated there from. The rear face oi the shell is also providedwith a bindingpost l? in electrical contact vwith the shell thuscompleting an electric circuit through the motor.

Assuming that the timepiece is in condi tion to be re-wound, the partswill stand, in the position shown in 3 of the drawings, and assumingthat the binding-posts are connected with suitable sources ot electricpower and. the contact-bush beingin conring 28, the cnit is thusconitill engaging with the spring turns the disk 32 and this disk, beinglined to the spindle 22 and its pinion, turns the winding-gear toenergize the main-spring.

When the time-movement spring is wound to a predetermined point, itsresistance to being wound will bend the spring 33 and cause a relativemovement between the segmental plate and disk, and this movement of thesegmental plate with respect to the disk causes the switch-arm 26 tomove under the detent 84, so as to move the brush out of engagement withthe disk 28, thus breaking the circuit and stopping the motor, and theangular outer end 35 of the detent snaps into the notch 36 and locks thearm.

The time-movement, acting under the pressure of its spring, will rununtil the pressure of that spring is so reduced that the spring 33 isable to reassert itself and move the segmental plate 25 relative to thedisk and in moving this segmental plate, the notch of the arm 26 isdisengaged from the detent and the brush is snapped into engagement withthe disk 28 by the engagement of the forward end of the detent with theend of the arm. The circuit through the motor is thus again establishedand the re winding operation takes place when the cycle of breaking thecircuit is again repeated, and so on.

By providing the armature with a hollow shaft and arranging the windingspindle through it, the movement of the armature is transmitted directlyand, consequently, with saving of space, as well as elimination ofgearing, and the power from the arbor of the main-spring is used toconnect and disconnect the motor. Furthermore, with this arrangement ofparts, the running of the time-movement is in no wise interfered with.

If desired, and to avoid gumming the lubricant around the pivot 18 onwhich the switch-arm 26 oscillates, due to passage of electricitythrough it, I attach to the outer end of this switch-arm a light wire49, which is looped and soldered to the segment-plate 25, thus directingthe electric current throu h the wire to the segment, independent ot theconnection through the pivot.

I claim:

1. The combination with a time-piece, having a winding-arbor-gear, of anelectric motor having a shaft, an electric circuit for the motor, aspindle extending through said shaft, a pinion on said spindle meshingwith said gear, a segmental plate carried by the motor-shaft andprovided with a pin, a disk carried by said spindle and formed with aslot through which said pin extends, a springarm secured to said diskand extending into engagement with said pin, and acFrci1it-making-ancl-breaki11g brush carried by said plate, said brushmoved in one direction by the tension of the winding-spring and in theother direction by the tension of the said spring-arm.

2. In combination, a spring, winding mechanism therefor including amotor, transmission operatively interposed between said spring and motorincluding a pair of rotatable members, yielding means associated withsaid members, said members being relatively movable, said yielding meansnormally resisting such relative movement and a switch actuated by therelative movement between said members to open or close the circuit forsaid motor.

3. In combination, a spring winding mechanism therefor including amotor, transmission operatively interposed between said motor and springand comprising a winding spindle, a rotatable disk carried thereby, adriving member actuated by said motor, a spring carried by said disk andmeans carried by said driving member engaging said spring andtransmitting its driving effect therethrough to said disk, said lastnamed means comprising a pin carried by said rotatable member, said diskbeing-slotted to accommodate said pin, said slot being constructed topermit movement of said pin relative to said disk.

4-. The combination with a winding-arborgear, of an electric motorhaving a shaft, an electric circuit for the motor, a spindle extendingthrou 'h said shaft, a pinion on said spindle mesning with said gear, aplate carried by the motor-shalt and provided with a pin, a disk carriedby said spindle and formed with a slot through which said pin extends, aspringnrm secured to said disk and extending into engagement with saidpin, and a circuit-1naking-and-breaking brush carried by said plate,said brush moved in one direction by the tension of the winding-springand in the other direction by the tension of the said spring-arm.

5. In combination, a driving-spring, an electric-motor for periodicallyenergizing the same; a hollow shaft for the said motor; adriving-spindle extending through the said hollow shaft; adriving-pinion mounted at the forward end of the said spindle; aneiectriccircuit for the said motor; a switchmechanism interposed in thesa d circuit and including two relatively-mo able members, one of whichis mounted upon the rear end of the said hollow shaft and the other ofwhich is mounted upon the rear end of the said driving-spindle; and aswitch-spring for ieldingly holding the said members against relativemovement.

In testimon whereof, I have signed this specification.

UNO L. SUNDBLAD.

